Learning a language isn’t easy—but for followers of Frank Moyo, at least it can be really fun. The Toronto teacher and musician-turned-social media creator has gone certified viral on TikTok and Instagram for his one-of-a-kind songs teaching Italian, quickly garnering a following of over 800,000 across both platforms as fans clamoured for more songs.
The elementary school music teacher (whose full name is Francesco Muoio, but goes by Frank Moyo as a musician) first started recording himself during the pandemic, doing covers of popular Italian songs and making videos with his nonna, as well as putting out his own original music. But in 2024, he tried something different—Moyo recorded himself singing a song to his students that he composed about none other than Italian cheese.
“I love cheese, you love cheese, when it’s made in Italy! Mozzarella, parmigiano too, fior di latte, I love you,” goes the lyrics to the call-and-response earworm of a song. In the video, Moyo is seen practicing pronunciation of a list of Italian cheeses on the white board with his students—and he finishes it off with a sip from his espresso cup, of course.
The video went viral, with celebrities including Jennifer Garner reposting it and fans flooding his comments with requests for more. So Moyo obliged, composing viral song after viral song about everything from gelato to coffee.
While he says his original videos with his nonna and ones joking about Italian culture caught the attention of viewers in Italy (“When I went back to Calabria with my nonna, we were stopped every two feet and people were waving from balconies —it was like I was George Cloooney!”), his latest songs have reached fans from across the world.
“Getting people from different cultures and backgrounds involved and interested in learning a new language through music is the most amazing part of all of this, and it really gives me the drive to continue,” Moyo says.
He’s especially proud to be reaching people through music—especially as someone whose interest in the art started at such a young age. “I started off at maybe three or four playing air guitar at family functions, and then by the time I was 11 I begged my dad to get me a guitar,” he says. “I started taking lessons from one of the older men in my neighbourhood at Dufferin and Eglinton; he was my grandmother’s neighbour.”
From there, he started writing his own music and learning different instruments, from piano to the accordion. He studied archeology in university and eventually went to teacher’s college and landed a job quickly as a music teacher. But through all of it, he’s had one major goal: to become a musician.
“I always wanted to do the whole rock star life and not work a nine-to-five,” he quips.
Now that dream is closer to a reality, thanks to his colourful compositions. Moyo recently released his Let’s go to Italy album, complete with 11 songs including the now-iconic “Cheese Song,” “Amo Mangiare (I Love to Eat)” and “The Wine Song (For the Grown-ups)”.
He’s also released some other original songs, including one called “Nonna,” written about the grandmother who has appeared in so many of his videos and his other grandmother who has passed away.
“She’s a huge, huge inspiration,” Moyo says of his grandmother. “We’re both kind of the black sheep of the family in that we’re both very artistic and creative.”
And while he dreams of pursuing music full-time, Frank Moyo is still thinking of his students—who he notes he’s always careful not to show in his videos. “I want to show my students that if you have a dream, don’t stop believing in it.”
